Having two of the best comedian actors currently available and making a film that define mediocre is a euphemism. This is what happened to "The Marc Pease Experience", directed by Todd Louiso. The screenplay isn't interesting, engaging, rich in content. As I said, this fact is more disappointing if we consider that as a pair of protagonists the production had recruited Ben Stiller and Jason Schwartzman, that are so good in many other movies, especially those directed by Wes Anderson.
The confusion reigns in this movie, that can not decide whether to turn the side of the comedy, the musical or what else. The problem is that it makes you very little laugh or smile, the choreography isn't so expressive, we don't identify with the characters, that don't give any particular emotion, and the plot is dull and not original. The basic intent would be, in a certain sense, wink to the various "Fame" or "High School Musical", adding depth thanks to the presence of the interpreters, but the goal is not achieved at all.
The hope, at the beginning, is that as soon as possible the movie will change gear and the tedium accumulated from the first minutes will acquire at least a sense in some way. As we proceed in the vision we understand that it's useless to expect anything else, that, despite the wishes, the story is really all there (at least it resolves in just little more than an hour and twenty). Even the ending, which could have made the whole thing shine with a slightly different light, seems predictable, patchy and unconvincing. At least, we don't find vulgarity, as sometimes happens in certain productions.
Not even Stiller and Schwartzman manage to save "The Marc Pease Experience": this time the two actors are absolutely wasted and remain below their usual recitative standards, but the fault can only be attributed to a script of non-high quality. The same can be said about Anna Kendrick, whose skills are evidenced by being nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for "Up in the Air", released in the same year!
As for me, the only consolation is that I bought the DVD in a flea market on offer for only two euros... Luckily at the same price I also found a wonderful film like "Groundhog Day", so in the end I can say that the "shopping day" went quite well!
